Roster Decisions Loom for Hartford Athletic

With the league year ending, it's time to look at what the future holds for every member of Hartford's USL Cup-winning team

With the league year ending, and many clubs already announcing their initial roster decisions, it’s time to take a look at what Hartford Athletic might elect to do with the players currently on their roster as they prepare for the offseason. Rumors of incoming players are already starting to circulate, so let’s examine what might happen for every Hartford player from 2025.

Almost certainly returning

Sebastian Anderson, Jordan Scarlett, Baboucarr Njie, TJ Presthus, Arturo Diz Pe, Michee Ngalina, Adewale Obalola, Kyle Edwards, Beverly Makangila, Junior Moreira, Pele Ousmanou

There should be very few surprises here. Hartford had a successful season, and will likely bring back the core of the team that lifted the USL Jägermeister Cup in Sacramento and finished fifth in the USL Eastern Conference. Players like Anderson and Ngalina will certainly attract interest, but with needs elsewhere on the pitch, the Latics are unlikely to be swayed by anything other than an offer they truly can’t refuse.

Of this group, however, there are two more legitimate question marks. Firstly, Edwards could attract interest from around the USL, and Hartford may very well elect to sell high on the super-sub. The reasons for this are fairly straightforward from the perspective of the Latics: as good as Edwards has been off the bench, a super-sub is a luxury commodity, and Hartford are not a team that can really afford luxuries. Even a reasonable offer from another Championship club could be enough to see Edwards on the move as Brendan Burke pursues more players who are able to play ninety minutes on a regular basis. It’s believed that Hartford does have an option on Edwards for 2026, so he is likely to be among the initial batch of returnees, but it would not be at all surprising if he is playing elsewhere by the time the 2026 season actually begins.

The other question mark is Ousmanou. In their history, Hartford have never had a player go out on loan and then return to the club the following season. Indeed, it’s even somewhat rare in USL Championship; a loan out is by and large an indication that a player has no future at the parent club. Ousmanou certainly feels like a different case in some ways, as the defender is not yet 21 years old and is believed to be under contract - but it’s certainly plausible that his loan spell at Charlotte Independence didn’t show enough progress and Hartford decides to move on.

Could be on the move

Antony Siaha, Emmanuel Samadia

Anyone who follows Siaha on Instagram has been able to see that the keeper has been training with New York Red Bulls following the conclusion of Hartford Athletic’s season. It remains to be seen if that translates into a move, but the interest is certainly there. Siaha has certainly earned the attention, and it’s a remarkable turn around who was deemed surplus to requirements by both Monterey Bay and Indy Eleven within the last twelve months. If a transfer doesn’t materialize, Siaha is under contract for 2026, and so will be back between the sticks in Hartford.

As for Samadia, there were teams interested in him after the 2024 season, but that interest didn’t translate into a move. This offseason feels like a different story, with multiple MLS clubs believed to be expressing interest in the left-back. Adding into the mix the report that Hartford will sign former Colorado Springs and Philadelphia Union left-back Matt Real, it suggests that the club is preparing for Samadia’s departure.

Wait and see

Hadji Barry, Jonathan Jimenez, John Berner

Barry was clearly not his old self after he joined Hartford Athletic, and while he did chip in three assists, he also failed to convert a crucial penalty in the quarterfinal loss to Pittsburgh Riverhounds, and was still shaking off the rust of not having played meaningful minutes in quite a while. Like Edwards, he’s probably something of a luxury at this point in his career, and Hartford certainly can’t afford two forwards with the same kinds of physical limitations in 2026, so any chance of Barry returning to Hartford might hinge on what happens with Edwards. Given Barry’s age — he’s about to turn 33 — he might also decide to retire. If he does return to Hartford, it’s likely to be on a heavily incentive-laden contract, as the team prioritizes other acquisitions.

Jimenez is in a tough place. He didn’t play particularly well in 2025, certainly not at the level that would make his return an absolute necessity. He also requires an international roster spot, which the team might prefer to have for other players, particularly with the reports that they are already in for Ugandan striker Sadat Anaku. It seems likely that Hartford will decline his option while they explore alternatives. Jimenez may yet return to Hartford, but it may depend on how things shake out with players like Samadia, who also require international roster spots and there’s a good chance that he might be playing elsewhere in 2026.

Berner was an excellent late-season addition who put in some excellent performances as the backup for Siaha. His Hartford future might well depend on whether Siaha moves on or not. In the event that NYRB do acquire Siaha, Berner could return as a solid option who fits well in Burke’s system. If Siaha returns, however, it seems more likely that Berner moves on, and Hartford looks elsewhere for a backup keeper.

Probably not returning

Joe Farrell, Marlon Hairston, Deshane Beckford

Rumors of Joe Farrell’s impending retirement have been circulating since the immediate aftermath of Hartford’s USL Open Cup triumph in early October. It’s been an emotional year for the defender, and with the highlight of another trophy, hanging up his cleats makes a great deal of sense. If he doesn’t retire, he’ll absolutely be welcomed back with open arms, but at this juncture, it seems like he’s ready to call time on his career.

Hairston was a warrior and a leader for this club over the last two seasons, but he’s very clearly lost a step, and struggled to go the full ninety minutes on several occasions. There’s a chance he could retire — he’ll turn 32 early next season — but he’s more likely to be a casualty of Hartford’s need to make changes in midfield.

Beckford was clearly surplus to requirements by midseason, when he was sent out on loan to Westchester SC in USL League One. He certainly arrived in Hartford with high expectations, but his 2024 campaign was marred by injury, and in 2025, Burke’s tactical approach moved away from a need for the kind of out-and-out winger that Beckford is at his best. It seems unlikely that he’s returning to the fold in 2026, but exactly what his future holds remains to be seen.

Loan expiring

Jack Panayotou, Owen Presthus, Samuel Careaga, Josh Belluz

Careaga and Panayotou were key pieces for Hartford, but both will return to their parent clubs. It’s unclear how the new regime in New England will value Panayotou, and there’s a chance Hartford could be interested in a permanent move if Marko Mitrović and company decide he has no future in MLS. Careaga’s future with Lanus is harder to parse, but any decisions about his future will also hinge on what his current club decides to do.

Presthus is about to turn 20, under contract with Columbus through 2026, and is a fixture with various U.S. youth teams. Next year will be one for the Crew to determine what his future holds, and an extended spell in MLS feels more likely than another loan out. Belluz, on the other hand, is turning 25, and seems unlikely to be extended in Colorado. He might be an attractive - and relatively inexpensive - addition to Hartford’s defensive lineup next season, but he could have other options, including returning to his native Canada.